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hi Gerri and welcome -
Sorry to hear of your problems...Many, many people with lupus are unable to take meds with sulfa in it - it can caues major flareups...
If you feel better on the gluten-free diet, then I would do it, but, I have never heard that it can help with your lupus. Certainly, a healthier diet - less salt (fluid retention), sugar natural inflammatory), and fats (lupus patients increased risk of artheriosclerosis (sp?)) are much better for us. But, gluten does not have a direct correlation to lupus. Celiacs disease is an autoimmune disease like lupus is, but antibodies attack completely different organ systems in each disease.
I also have really bad allergies (at the prick test, I tested allergic to EVERY SINGLE ONE!!) and I am on a daily timereleased dose of Allegra, which works wonders.
So, what is their plan on treating your lupus? If you have kidney involvement, you will HAVE to be treated. Untreated kidney disease in lupus can lead to organ failure...There has to be something that can help you...I know there are some lupus meds that are not as harsh on the liver...maybe your doc could look into those for you?
You shouldnt have to suffer through your symptoms...I hope you get some answers soon, and are feeling better. let us know how you make out!!
lauri

For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

It's not uncommon to have more than one autoimmune disease, which I am finding out.

I did find the three weeks I was on a celiac diet, my blood pressure, cholesterol, and liver enzymes became controlled, which was good.

I have found after starting gluten back up everything is out of control and my lupus symptoms are so much worse. I don't know why this is so.

Right now I am on no medication for Lupus. I go for a celiac biopsy September 4th, and guess we go from there. I see my family doctor August 8th, and get him to order more kidney bladder test. I am going back to see if the hospital will put me on Macrobid (had to look up medication I taken for bladder infection) the doctor would not give me anything. Macrobid was the one medication so far I haven't had any problems with (tough wood).

Hugs

Gerri

PS: I got my longsleeve shirt on, hat, and sun screen going out - see if I get my rashes.

Good girl being all covered up!! I am aware that having one autoimmune can make you more prone to others...yet, these ususally consist of: Sjorgrens, Raynauds and Fibromyalgia. It is not common at all to have both RA and lupus, or scleroderma and lupus...symptoms are similar, but have distince characteristics about each that can completely rule out the other. As Daniel Wallace (the demi-god of lupus) writes in "The Lupus Book":
"RA can be difficult to tell from lupus;but within several months, the Dx usually becomes obvious. The hallmark in RA is an automimmune reaction in the syovium...It is uncommonly complicated by systemic organ involvement (like lupus) and causes deforming joint disease. Lupus induces joint deformities less than 10 percent of the time adn erosions are almost never seen. An occasional patient has distinct features that fulfill the ACR criteria for both RA and lupus. Called rhupus, this rare disorder is managed with drugs used for both diseases..."

The symptoms for all these diseases overlap so much, that often patients are Dxd first with lupus, then its changed to RA, or full scleroderma. As we all know the Dx process for ALL of these diseases is so archaic, and leaves many not only with the wrong Dx, but some with NO Dx, which is far worse. because the treatments for many are the same, alot of docs dont do the nitty gritty work to find out what the ACTUAL disease is, as the process with the cells is so similar, and treatment is the same.

You will meet many here who have overlapping diseases, particularly FMS and Sjorgrens (of which I have both - boo!)...I am hoping that they can find a medicine that will work for you...thats horrible that you cant take anything!!! Im praying they find something for you soon...
Love Lauri
PS - Enjoy our convered walk!!

For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7